Bag-valve-forming mechanism



April 1927' M. J; DAVIS BAG VALVE FORMING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 2, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l E i E [E] lfilf/QNTOE I QTToMzY 1927. 5 M. J. DAVIS BAG VALVE FORMING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 2. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOE 3 caused to lie flat until Patented Apr. 5, 1927.

MERRITT J. DAVIS, F WELLSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA.

BAG-VALVE-FORMIN G MECHANISM.

Application filed August 2, 1926. Serial No. 126,690.-

This invention relates broadly to mechanism for forming paper bags, and .more particularly to apparatus for forming valves 1n -such bags.

The primary object of the invention is to provide amechanism by means ofwlnch may be produced the usual reentrant V- shaped corn-er folds, commonly termed valves, of bellows'type paper bags, such valves forming self-closing avenues through which the bag may be filled.

It will be understood that paper bagsor sacks employed as containers are now-more or less commonly made by cutting into su1table lengths a tube having re-entranf, or bellows, folds in its sides whereby it is expandedin the proccss of filling. v

It is the object of the present invention to provide mechanism whereby, prior to closing theends of the tube of which the bag is formed, to fold inwardly one corner of an end of thetube for forming a triangular flap-like valve through or over which the bag may be filled followingthe cross-stitching or other fastening of the ends of the tube and which will be retained in bag closing position by the introduced contents.

In describing the invention in detail, reference is herein had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view 0 the invention par tially in side elevation and cal section, showing the members of the foldcreasing means remoyed With the folding members disposed horizontally;

Figure 2 is a. top plan View of the same; Figure 3 is a cross section on line 8-3, s Figure 4 is an enlarged plan view of the hinge end ofthefolding plates;

Figure 5 is a section on line '55, Fig. 4"; Figure 6 is a front end elevation of the msm; I

Figure 7 is a partial side elevation similar to Fig. 1 including the creasing mechanism; Figure 8 is a detail perspective View of a corner portion of a bag, showing the valve formed therein;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the. folding mechanism.in its initial horizontal position and showing in broken lines an edge portion of a p ner bag applied thereto; and

partially in verti-' P plate 6 forming ingdevice in folded relation and the valve 'in Figs. 2 and in vention including the valve creasing mechaf Fig. is a similar view of the same structure with the foldable members occupying iipright folding position. 4

Referring to said drawings, 1 indicates a bar-like support which is herein shown as bent to form a horizontal portion 1 adapted hereinafter be described. Rigidly mount ed on said portion'l ofithe support 1 are bearing members 4 on which are mounted the ends of a pin 5 Which constitutes the pintle of a suitable hinge connection 6 between the adjacent edge portions of two relatively foldable side members of a folding device.

Said folding device comprises the relatively folda-ble members referred to, eachplate 7 and a bottom plate 8 andhaving its said plates suitably spaced apart a distance providing an intermediate space or pocket 9 of the capacity re- 3 quired to accommodate a thickness of the paper wall of the bag 10 which is to be acted upon. Said plates are. extended forward from the hinge connection 6 so that the end ofa wall of the bag 10 may be introduced the required distance in said space 9 before its edge comes to rest against a stop which,

as herein shown, is formed by the end of a a partof the hinge.

The two hinged sections of the folding devicev are, movable between two opposite limits, in one of which they occupy substantia'lly horizontally alined positions, shown 3, and in the other of which they occupy relatively folded, substantially upright positions, as shown in Fig. 1.

Resilient means serve to; maintain the members of the folding device normally at one of the above described limits of movement, and suitable means, herein shown as manually operable, is provided whereby said members are actuated to their opposite limit of movement. As hei'ein shown for illustrative purposes, a spiral spring 11 acts through intermediate mechanism normally to hold said members in their substantially up right folding position," as is most clearly shown in Fig. 1, Said spring is disposed:, vertically within a rigid pported 12 and has its lower en nesting upoii rt'a' bottom end closure 13 carried by said tube. A lever l thaving an end pivotally mounted at a suitable point, as upon the portion 1 of the support 1, projects through longitudinal slots 15 provided in opposite sides of the tube and rests upon the upper end of the spring 11, whereby said lever is normally supported in an elevated position. Links 16 having hinge-like connection at their upper ends with said lever and having hinge-like connection at their lower ends with the outer edge portions of the members of the folding device serve to actuate said members when impelled by vertical swinging movementsimparted to the lever which is movable in said slots 15.

A bolt or pin 17 connects the links 16 at a point intermediate their ends. its ends being loosely received by said links to permit relative movement of the latter thereon. A short coil spring 38 carried by said pin 17 between said links serves to resiliently maintain the latter relatively separated so that in actuating downward movement of said links, impelled by the lever, all tendency of the links to turn on their upper hinge connections in the same direction, is obviated, thereby to insure that the members of the folding device will be spread apart rather than together rolled on the 'pintle 5 in one direction or the other.

The lever 14, as herein shown, is designed to be actuated by foot power, a foot pedal 18 being suitably connected therewith. The depicted connecting means comprises an upright link 19 hinged on its lower end to said "pedal, and a. lever 20 having pivotal connection intermediate its ends to said lever 14. Said link 19 is pivoted at its upper end to an end of said lever 20, and the latter has its opposite. end suitably connected, as through the intermediacy of a pivoted link 21, upon a suitable support, as upon an arm 22 which is stationarily carried by "the portion 1 of the support 1.

In practice, the members of the folding device are preliminarily actuated to assume their horizontally aii'ned positions by foot power applied to the pedal 18, which, through the intermediate mechanism described, elfects lowering of the lever 14 against the elevating force exerted by the spring 11, and which, in turn, effects downward movement of the spreader links 16. Then, a lateral edge portion of an end of the paper tube is introduced between the horiz ntally disposed upper and lower plates 7 and 8 of the folding device, said tube being at the time held in a position wherein its said edge portion is disposed in the horizon= tal plane occupied by the hinged members of the folding device, as is best shown in Fig. 2.

It may here be stated that the' paper tube to beacted on is of flat collapsed form, it

said lever.

having been preliminarily provided at diametrically opposite sides with longitudinally extending inwardly directed folds 23 of bellows form. The portion of the tube which is to be shaped to form the desired valve is the end of a bellows fold which is acted upon by the invention herein shown and described. Accordingly, the end portion of the fold is opened up and is inserted in sub- :tantially flat form between the plates of the folding device, as shown in Fig. 2. The body of the paper tube is then swung downward by hand to a substantially vertical position. thereby to dispose the portion received by the folding device at a substantially right angle to the length of the bellows fold 22. Following such downward swinging of the tube, the foot pressure is removed from the pedal 18, whereupon, actuated by the spring 11, the members of the folding device resume their normal substantially upright position. In assuming said position. two ridges inclined relative to the axis of the tube are produced in said tube, whereby the portion of the latter gripped by the folding device is converted into an inwardly turned bellows-like valve 24 having its control. or bottom, crease 24" disposed at a substantially right angle to the adjacent bellows fold 23, as shown in full lines in Fig. 8 and as shown in broken lines in Fig. 1.

Means is provided whereby the inclined ridges, produced as aforesaid, are pressed into permanently creasedform, as shown at 21". in Fig. 8. Said means comprises two rollers 25 which are suspended from the lever 14 and which are arranged for travel throughout fixed paths with movements of Each of said rollers has trunnions 26 journaled in a yoke 27 which is carried by the lower end of a suspension arm or link 28 which has its upper end pivotally connected to said lever 14;. Said trunnions project into and are arranged for travel in guideways consiituted by guide slots 29 provided in stationarily mounted bars 30 which have a curvature predetermined to produce the required travel of the rollers for perfori'ning their function. As herein shown, said guide bars 30 are carried by a support constituted by the opposite forwardly pro- 'jecting ends 31 of the bar 31 which is mounted upon the support 1 or other stationary part of the structure, said ends 31 being disposed horizontally at opposite sides of the .folding device.

l/Vhen'the lever 14 is lowered to the position in which the members of the folding device are actuated to assume horizontally alined relation. therollers 25 are simultaneously lowered to positions at the lower ends of their respective guide slots and, in said position, are widely separated so that in no wise do they interfere with the handling ill] .gmdeways 29.

what I consider of the paper tube in the manner hereinbefore described. As the lever 1.4 moves upward toward its normal elevated position for producing the valve 24, the rollers 25 are elevated therewith, traveling along their At point adjacent to the lower ends of the inclined ridges form, as aforesaid, in the tube in the inward folding valve forming operation, said rollers engage the flat side walls of the tube and, in

their further substantially vertical travel,

ride over and firmly compres; therebetween the inclined valve folds, whereby said ridges are flattened to the extent that permanent creases 24 are produced in the lines of said ridges.

Followingthe completion of the valve forming operation described, the paper tube folding device by a horizontal sliding movement thereof.

'VVhile I have to be one of its simplest and most practical forms, I am aware that "arious changes in the forms and arrangement of some of its parts and in various mechanical details of structure may readily suggest themselves to mechanics and others,

such changes falling 'within the spirit invention; hence, it is to be understood that I do not desire to limit myself to the details of construction and arrangement shown and described beyond the requirements of the terminology employed in. the appended claims. lVhat is claimed isp In a mechanism of the character described, a folding device comprising relatively foldable members each of which includes relatively spaced means for actuating said foldable members.

of the 2. In a mechanism of the character de-- scribed, a folding device comprising relatively foldable members each of which includes a. pair of plates relatively spaced to form therebetween a receiving space for a part to be folded, and means for aci uating said foldable members.

3. In a mechanism of the character ,described. a folding device comprising relatively foldable members each of which includes relativelyspaced superposed elements, said members being shiftable from relatively almed positions to folded position, and vice versa, means normally holding said members in one of said positions, and means for moving said members against said holdlng means to their opposite positions.

In a mechanism of the character described, a folding device ly foldable members each of which includes a pair of elements spaced relatively to form thcrebetween a receiving pocket, the pockefs when disposed adapted for the reception of a tubular bag part to be folded into valve form, and means described the invention in superposed elements, andcomprising relative in alined relation being alined pockets to move said elements from alined positions to positions disposing said pockets in sub-. stantially parallel relation whereby the valve bag part to be folded into valve form,'means to move said elements from alined positions to positions disposing said pockets in substantially parallel relation whereby the valve is formed, and means cooperating with said folding means to crease the defining edge portions of the valve.

(5. In a lllGCllillllSll'l of the character described; a folding device comprising relatively foldable members each of which includes a pair of elements spaced relatively to form therebctween a receiving pocket, the pockets when disposed in alined relation being adapted for the reception of a tubular bag partto be folded into valve form, means to move said elements from alined positions to positions disposing said pockets in substantially parallel relation whereby the valve is formed, and shiftable means cooperating with said folding means for compressing the defining edge portions of the valve to produce therein permanent creases.

7. A mechanism of the character described comprising companion folding members which in one position embody alined ply creasing pressure to said bri'c along the defining edge portions of the valve.

8. A mechanism of the v character decribed comprising companion folding members which in one position embody alined pockets for the reception of an end portion of a tubular fabric to be folded into valve form, means for actuating movement of said members from said position to a relatively folded position in which said pockets occupy substantially parallel closely positioned relation ,for forming a triangular valve in said fabric, and means cooperating with said actuating means for applying pressure to the defining edge portions of said valve for producing permanent creases in said portions.

9. A mechanism scribed comprising companion members which in one position for the reception of folding embody an end pockets when disposed in alined relation. being adapted for the reception of a tubular a triangular valve in said fabric, and shiftable means a'dgpted to ap-- of the character de- .of said members portion of a tubular fabric to be folded into valve form, means for actuating movement of said members relatively folded position in which said pockets occupy substantially parallel closely positioned relation for forminga triangular valve in said fabric, and traveling rollers cooperating with said actuating means for applying creasing pressure to the defining edge portions of said valve.

10. A mechanism of the character described comprising companion folding members which in one position embody alined pockets for the reception of an end portion of a tubular fabric to be folded into valve form, means for actuating movement from said position to a relatively folded position in which said pockets occupy substantially parallel closely positioned relation for forming a triangular valve in said fabric. and traveling rollers cooperating with said actuating means for applying creasing pressure to the defining edge portions of said valve, andmeans for guiding the travel of said .rollers in a fixed path.

11. A mechanism of the character described comprising relatively foldable coinpanion members, each of said members including a pair of elements spaced apart to form a receiving pocket, the pockets when from said position to 9.1

disposed in alined relation being adapted for -the reception of an end portion of .a

tubular bag fabric to be folded into valve form, means normally maintaining said members in relatively folded po,ition wherein the pockets thereof occupy substantially parallel relation, and means for actuating movement of said members from their normal positions to pocket alining position.

12. A mechanism of the character described comprising relatively foldable companion members, each of said members including a pair of elements spaced apart to form a receiving pocket, the pockets when disposed in alincd relation being adapted for the reception of an end portion of a tubular bag fabric to be folded into valve form. means normally maintaining said members in relatively folded position wherein the pockets thereof occupy substantially parallel relation, means for actuating movement of said members from their normal positions to pocket alining position, and means connected to said movement actuating means and operable therewith whereby the defining edge portions of the valve are'creased. 4

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

MERRITT J. Davis. 

